


A Dark Tale

by Hold_me_down



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Fairies, Fantasy, Magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 12:49:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13077231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hold_me_down/pseuds/Hold_me_down
Summary: It looked like the lake was frozen. She tilted her head. It couldn't be though. It was a rather balmy summer. And yet.  Alex shook her head. She had stopped believing in fairytales long ago. And that's all it was. But she still found herself asking“ Victor, do you remember that story, about the prince?” Victor chuckled.“ The story you beg to hear every night? Of course. What brought this up?”“Oh, nothing.”





	A Dark Tale

On the dance floor, Lords and Ladies dressed in their best finery swayed. Jewels and precious metals glinted in the dim light. They were in the dragon’s den, the very heart of it but they were oblivious to it. To the potential dangers there were. Alex swirled her drink as she brought it to her lips. She took a sip as her gaze carried over to the Dias. On it sat the King. He swirled his goblet as he contemplated his guests with flinty eyes. Perhaps sensing eyes on him, he glanced to the dark corner Alex had hid herself in. She bowed her head and took another sip. She was in the dragon’s den, after all, and it payed to be polite, and, what a den it was. The stone of the great hall was a dull red. Black curtains covered the windows while ancient tapestries recorded stories going back to the beginning of the kingdom. Most of them, like the furniture, where gold and red but one was One thought, it was blue and black, with purple mixed in. The young prince, or king, caught her eye every time as she looked around. The light came from torches and the large fireplace at the other end of the room. It created an intimate tone. The only bright color was in the center of the room. An iridescent dragon curled around a clock gear. The king’s mark, though she had no idea why it was a clock gear. Some eccentricity of a former Monarch she supposed.  
The scent of roasting meat and other foods filled the room and sent bellies rumbling. In another corner, a band played. In another the court magician amused guests. She took another sip, pink tongue catching a drop of wine on blood red lips, as she looked to the crowd. There. Jean Graceling cuddling into her husband in the dance floor as they whispered sweet nothings to each other. The Picture of marital bliss, if one didn't know about Mrs.Gracelings affair with the gardner. She narrowed her eyes as she spotted 3 upstart noblemen plotting to overthrow old Mr. Greenwood. That particular group already had blood on their hands. The extinct Lightwind house had been an ally to her’s for generations. They were new blood and desperate to advance through the ranks. She turned a blind eye to Madam Heartwood’s girls. They had just made their debut to society. They looked like frightened deer in the crowd of young men huddling round like bloodhounds. There were more interesting targets anyway. Like the king’s own trusted advisor slinking off to, what she guessed, the Concubine’s living area. Alex smiled behind the goblets rim. This might be the dragon’s den, but it was the fox’s playground. No one could move against her without any insurance. In this little chess game, everyone was playing, and playing to win. Arms wrapped around her. Well, maybe not everybody. It was rigid self control, and the knowledge of the only person who would dare to do something like this that stopped her from dropping the goblet.  
“What are you doing over here.”  
“Just thinking.” Alex said as she set the goblet on a nearby table. The person released her, only to plaster himself to her side.  
“Hmm, my little thinker. Gonna change the world.” A gentle kiss was pressed to her temple.  
“Hmm.” Was her answer, It was a semi private moment, stolen between lovers. He stomach threatened to rebel as she tasted iron behind her teeth. “Let's dance.” Aaron grinned as she led her to the dance floor. Aaron, son of the Makehorns, one of the notoriously ruthless clan, didn't have a mean bone in his body. He didn't have the attitude, nor the drive to survive in court. Alex supposed that's why his parents agreed to the marriage proposal.They swayed in the dance floor, they ate at the table, they shared romantic moments. Aaron got her anything she desired. He looked at her with devotion, like a dog after a master.He was blind to the envious looks the other ladies shot her, only having eyes for her. She wanted to scream. She finally breathed a sigh of relief, mistaken for tiredness by her faithful companion, when the night came to an end.With a last kiss on the cheek she was handed off to her guardian, Victor. She fussed with her skirts as the carriage pulled into traffic.  
“ I can't do this.” Victor sighed heavily  
“You must. It was your parent’s wish.” She scoffed. Her parent’s wish? More like her parent’s trick. “But I don't love him. And….and.”  
“ And you don't want to hurt him.” Victor guessed.”  
“He's just so sweet. I don't want to leave him a widow in a few years.” Alex had come to terms with her own mortality years ago, it was the thought of crushing Aaron’s dreams of a family that upset her. Victor sighed again.  
“I wish it was different, I'm sorry, my girl.” Like what? Like her body wasn't rebelling against her? Like she didn't have to marry because of a cruel trick? Her throat felt tight. She looked out the window. Her eyes fell on a lake. She had never seen it before. When she looked around she saw why. This wasn't the normal route. This was a widely disused track.  
“There was traffic.” Victor said in explanation. Alex nodded absentmindedly. It looked like the lake was frozen. She tilted her head. It couldn't be though. It was a rather balmy summer. And yet. Alex shook her head. She had stopped believing in fairytales long ago. And that's all it was. But she still found herself asking  
“ Victor, do you remember that story, about the prince?” Victor chuckled.  
“ The story you beg to hear every night? Of course. What brought this up?”  
“Oh, nothing.” Alex already felt foolish. Victor hummed but said nothing. Once home, Victor saw her to bed before leaving for his own home on the edge of her property. Hours passed as she tossed and turned, but she could not find sleep. The lake captivate her mind. She sat up and looked out the window. The lake wasn't to far away, and the moon was out. It couldn't take long to check it out, would it? She could just slip out, take a look around and be back before Victor came to escort her to her meetings. Mind made up, she quickly dressed and in cats feet slipped through the halls of her ancestral home. The house could be traced back to the start of the kingdom, as a little cottage for her family migrating to a new land. She expertly dodged the creaking boards and slipped through the servant's door. Only the servants lived with her, far away in their quarters, but it was more fun than just walking through. She stuck to the foliage at the side of the road. It wouldn’t do to be seen if someone used the road. Finally, she saw the lake. She ran for it, ignoring the burning in her chest, her lungs. Crunch. She looked down. The ground was covered in a thick layer of snow and ice. All around, was snow, lighting up the clearing. Alex came closer to the edge. The ice looked thick and inviting.  
“ Hello.” Alex jumped at the heavily accented voice. The man seemed friendly, though she had no idea where he had come from. His long hair was white, and his eyes where a shocking blue. He wore an old uniform. A costume party? Alex’s mind supplied her. He cocked his head to the side. It was rather like a puppy, actually.  
“ Hello?” She half said, half asked. When she looked behind him, she saw no footprints.  
“ Are you ok?”  
“ Why would you ask that?”  
“ Because why else would a beautiful woman be out here by herself.” He called her beautiful. For the first time in awhile, Alex blushed.  
“ Just exploring.” She mumbled. The man smiled and it lit up the whole area.  
“ Ah, well there's plenty to see around here. Come on.” Her grabbed her hand and started to pull her around. Her first instinct was to pull away from the strange man but he looked back with excitement in his eyes. It made her lose reason, after all could it be so bad letting him hold her hand? No, it turned out. He showed her all his favorite places. At first glance, she had thought the place small, but as her dragged her around the shore, it seemed to go on forever. They talked and laughed, telling each other jokes and stories. Then the sun had to rise and end it. As the few tentative rays touched the ice, his face closed like shutters to the winds. Instead of some new haunt, he led her to the edge of the the corpse of trees.  
“ Wha….” Alex looked back and there was no trace of happiness or laughter anymore. Instead underneath the mask there was fear.  
“It's time for you to go.” Before she could protest he pressed on “ the sun is coming up. It's time you go home.” Alex looked up. It was true. She couldn't believe she had stayed the night! “ Oh and Alex?” Alex turned but no one was there. “ Never come back.” It was carried like a sigh on the breeze.


End file.
